AUTHOR'S GUIDE

AUTHOR GUIDELINES

JOCER: Journal of Civic Education Research

JOCER: Journal of Civic Education Research welcomes original scholarly manuscripts that contribute to the development of knowledge, theory, practice, and policy in Civic Education, Citizenship Education, and Citizenship Studies. Manuscripts must present a clear academic contribution, demonstrate engagement with relevant scholarly literature, and comply with the focus and scope of the journal.

All manuscripts must be submitted through the JOCER Open Journal Systems (OJS). Authors are required to use the official JOCER manuscript template and follow all formatting, citation, ethical, and submission requirements stated in these Author Guidelines.

Manuscripts submitted to JOCER must be original works and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript contains accurate information, appropriate citations, valid references, and proper acknowledgment of sources and contributions.

The manuscript should generally consist of 6–12 pages, including tables, figures, diagrams, and other elements, following the official JOCER template.

  1. GENERAL MANUSCRIPT REQUIREMENTS

The manuscript submitted to JOCER: Journal of Civic Education Research should meet the following general requirements:

  1. The manuscript should present original research or scholarly work relevant to the field of Civic Education, Citizenship Education, Citizenship Studies, and related areas within the journal's Focus and Scope.
  2. The manuscript should be prepared according to the official JOCER manuscript template.
  3. The manuscript should consist of 6–12 pages, with a maximum of 8,000 words, excluding the reference list and appendices.
  4. The manuscript should be written using Times New Roman font.
  5. The main body of the manuscript should use 11-point Times New Roman font.
  6. The manuscript should use single line spacing throughout the main text, unless otherwise specified in the official JOCER template.
  7. The manuscript should be written in a clear, concise, coherent, systematic, and academic manner.
  8. The manuscript should follow the structure and formatting requirements specified in the official JOCER manuscript template.
  9. The manuscript should clearly present the research context, state of the art, critical analysis, research gap, novelty, research objective or research questions, and contribution of the study.
  10. The Introduction should be presented as a coherent academic narrative and should not be divided into numbered sub-sections such as Research Context, State of the Art, Research Gap, or Novelty.
  11. The manuscript should provide a clear and appropriate description of the research method, including the research design, participants or data sources, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques, as applicable.
  12. The Results and Discussion should present the findings and provide critical interpretation, comparison with previous studies, theoretical or conceptual analysis, and explanation of the contribution of the findings.
  13. All tables, figures, charts, diagrams, conceptual frameworks, models, and equations should be numbered consecutively, clearly presented, and referred to in the main text.
  14. All sources cited in the manuscript must be included in the reference list.
  15. All references listed in the reference list must be cited in the manuscript.
  16. The manuscript should contain a minimum of 20 references.
  17. At least 80% of the references should be published within the last five years relative to the year of manuscript submission.
  18. Authors should prioritize peer-reviewed journal articles and recent scholarly publications, particularly those relevant to Civic Education, Citizenship Education, Citizenship Studies, democracy, Pancasila Education, civic literacy, digital citizenship, global citizenship, civic engagement, civic participation, civic identity, and character education.
  19. References should be presented according to the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition style.
  20. Every reference with an assigned DOI should include a complete and active DOI link in the format https://doi.org/xxxxx.
  21. The manuscript should use consistent in-text citations and reference-list formatting throughout the article.
  22. Authors should ensure that all tables, figures, diagrams, equations, and other visual materials are of sufficient quality and readability for publication.
  23. Authors should provide appropriate ethical statements, funding information, conflict-of-interest disclosure, data availability statement, and AI-use disclosure, where applicable.
  24. The manuscript must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal.
  25. Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality, accuracy, integrity, and academic quality of the submitted manuscript.
  26. Authors should carefully check the manuscript before submission to ensure that all content, formatting, citation, reference, DOI, and submission requirements have been fulfilled.
  1. MANUSCRIPT STRUCTURE

The manuscript should be organized according to the following structure:

  1. Title
  2. Author Names
  3. Affiliation
  4. Email Address
  5. Abstract
  6. Keywords
  7. I. INTRODUCTION
  8. II. METHODS
  9. III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
  10. IV. CONCLUSION
  11. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  12. AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
  13. FUNDING
  14. CONFLICT OF INTEREST 
  15. AI USE STATEMENT
  16. REFERENCES

Each section should be presented clearly and systematically according to the instructions provided below.

  1. TITLE

The article title should meet the following requirements:

  1. The title should be written in Title Case.
  2. The title should use Times New Roman, 16 pt, bold, with centered alignment.
  3. The title should contain a maximum of 15 words.
  4. The title should be concise, specific, informative, and clearly reflect the main topic of the manuscript.
  5. The title should identify the main issue, phenomenon, population, context, or variables of the study where appropriate.
  6. The title should avoid unnecessary words, excessive abbreviations, ambiguous expressions, rhetorical questions, and overly general statements.
  7. The title should clearly indicate the relevance of the manuscript to Civic Education, Citizenship Education, or Citizenship Studies where applicable.
  8. Authors should avoid using phrases such as “A Study of,” “An Analysis of,” or “A Case Study of” unless they are necessary to accurately represent the research design.
  9. The title should not contain references, citations, footnotes, or DOI information.
  10. Authors should ensure that the title is consistent with the content, research objectives, and principal contribution of the manuscript.

Example of title formatting:

Digital Citizenship Education and Students’ Civic Engagement in the Digital Era

Authors should ensure that the final title does not exceed the maximum number of words specified by JOCER.

  1. AUTHOR NAMES

The author information should meet the following requirements:

  1. The author names should be written using Times New Roman, 10 pt, bold, with centered alignment.
  2. Author names should be presented in the following format:

First Author¹, Author Two², Author Three³*

  1. The superscript numbers (¹, ², ³) should indicate the respective institutional affiliations of the authors.
  2. The asterisk (* ) should identify the corresponding author.
  3. Authors' names should be written in their full names without academic, professional, or honorary titles.
  4. Do not include academic degrees such as S.Pd., M.Pd., Dr., Prof., Ph.D., or other professional titles after the author's name.
  5. The order of authors should reflect their actual contribution to the manuscript and must be agreed upon by all authors before submission.
  6. The corresponding author should be clearly identified and should be responsible for communication with the editorial office throughout the submission, review, revision, and publication process.
  7. Author names and their order should remain consistent between the manuscript file and the metadata entered into the JOCER OJS submission system.

Example

I Made Putra¹, Ni Luh Dewi², Ahmad Fauzi³*

Authors should ensure that names are written consistently with their institutional and academic records.

  1. AFFILIATION

The author affiliation should be written in Times New Roman, 9 pt, with left alignment. Each affiliation should be identified using a superscript number corresponding to the author's name. The affiliation should include the institution and country, where applicable. If an author has more than one institutional affiliation, each affiliation should be listed separately using the corresponding superscript number, and the complete institutional address is mandatory. Authors should use the official English name of their institution and ensure that the affiliation information is consistent with the author metadata entered in the JOCER OJS system.

Example:

Universitas XXXXX, Indonesia

  1. EMAIL ADDRESS

The corresponding author's email address should be provided below the affiliation information. The email address should be written in Times New Roman, 10 pt, with left alignment. The email address must be active and valid to facilitate communication throughout the submission, peer-review, revision, and publication processes. Authors should use an institutional or professional email address whenever possible. The email address provided in the manuscript should be consistent with the corresponding author's information registered in the JOCER OJS system.

Example:

*Corresponding author: author@university.ac.id

  1. ABSTRACT

he abstract must be written in English and should contain 150–250 words in a single paragraph. It should concisely present the research background or problem, objective, methodology, principal findings, and conclusion. The abstract should be informative, specific, concise, and self-contained, allowing readers to understand the essential content and contribution of the manuscript. The abstract should not include citations, footnotes, tables, figures, equations, or unexplained abbreviations. The abstract should be written using Times New Roman, 10 pt, with single spacing and justified alignment.

Keywords: Authors should provide 3–5 keywords in English that represent the principal concepts, issues, variables, or topics discussed in the manuscript. Keywords should be written in Title Case, separated by semicolons (;), and should not merely repeat the journal title. Authors should avoid overly general terms and select specific keywords that improve the discoverability of the article.

Example:
Keywords: Civic Education; Civic Literacy; Digital Citizenship; Pancasila Education; Civic Engagement

8. INTRODUCTION

The Introduction should establish the background and academic rationale of the research. It should explain why the research is important, what problem is being addressed, what previous studies have established, what limitations remain, and what the present study intends to contribute.

The Introduction should contain the following elements.

8.1 Research Background

The opening paragraphs should explain the background of the research problem. Authors should describe the phenomenon or issue being investigated, the current condition related to the issue, the importance of the issue, relevant problems occurring in theory or practice, and the reasons why the issue deserves further investigation. The research background should be supported by relevant and credible scholarly references, with priority given to recent peer-reviewed literature.

8.2 Theoretical Framework

The Introduction should provide the theoretical framework relevant to the research problem. Authors should explain the important concepts used in the study, provide an appropriate theoretical basis for understanding the research problem, and demonstrate how the theoretical framework supports the analysis and interpretation of the research findings. The theoretical discussion should remain directly related to the research problem and should be based on relevant and credible scholarly sources.

8.3 Previous Research and State of the Art

Authors should discuss relevant previous research to demonstrate the current state of knowledge in the field. The discussion should explain what has already been studied, the important findings of previous research, the approaches used by previous researchers, and the relationship between previous studies and the present research.

Previous research should not be presented merely as a study-by-study summary. Authors should critically synthesize the literature by comparing findings, approaches, strengths, limitations, and areas of agreement or disagreement. The synthesis should demonstrate the state of the art and establish a clear basis for identifying what remains unresolved.

8.4 Limitations of Previous Research

The Introduction should identify the main limitations, unanswered questions, inconsistencies, or areas that have not been adequately addressed by previous research. These limitations may relate to the research context, participants or population, methodology, variables or concepts, research location, theoretical perspective, data, or other aspects relevant to the study.

The identified limitations should be supported by the reviewed literature and should provide a logical rationale for conducting the present research.

8.5 Research Gap

Authors should clearly explain the research gap between what is already known and what still needs to be investigated. The research gap should be logically derived from the critical discussion and synthesis of previous research and its limitations.

The gap may be empirical, theoretical, methodological, contextual, population-related, data-related, or related to inconsistent research findings. Authors should avoid stating a research gap without demonstrating how the gap emerges from the existing literature.

8.6 Novelty and Contribution

The Introduction should clearly explain the novelty and contribution of the present research beyond previous studies. Novelty should represent a meaningful contribution to the field rather than merely a difference in research location, institution, or sample.

The novelty may arise from a new research context, theoretical perspective, methodological approach, interpretation, research population, combination of concepts, empirical findings, dataset, application, extension, refinement, or synthesis. Authors should clearly explain why the contribution is meaningful and how it advances knowledge or practice in civic education and related fields.

8.7 Research Objective

The research objective should be stated clearly at the end of the Introduction. Where appropriate, authors may also state the research questions or hypotheses. The objective should be specific and consistent with the research background, research gap, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.

Authors should ensure that every stated research objective is addressed in the Results and Discussion and reflected in the Conclusion.

Introduction Formatting

The Introduction should follow these formatting requirements:

  • Heading: Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, left aligned.

  • Body text: Times New Roman, 11 pt.

  • Text alignment: Justified.

  • Line spacing: Single spacing.

  • Paragraph indentation: The first paragraph should have no first-line indentation. Subsequent paragraphs should use a first-line indentation of approximately 1 cm.

  • Paragraph spacing: No additional space should be inserted between paragraphs.

  • Subheadings: Authors are encouraged to present the Introduction as a coherent narrative rather than dividing it into numbered sub-sections such as Research Background, Theoretical Framework, Previous Research, Research Gap, and Novelty in the manuscript itself.

The Introduction should demonstrate a clear logical progression:

Problem/Context → Theoretical Framework → State of the Art → Limitations of Previous Research → Research Gap → Novelty and Contribution → Research Objective

The Introduction should avoid an excessively detailed literature survey, a mere summary of previous studies, unsupported claims of novelty, and references that are not directly relevant to the research problem.

9. II. METHODS

The Methods section should describe the research process clearly, systematically, and sufficiently to enable readers to evaluate the rigor, appropriateness, credibility, and transparency of the study and, where applicable, reproduce its procedures. Authors should provide sufficient methodological information to explain how the research was conducted and how the evidence presented in the Results was obtained.

The Methods section should contain the following elements.

9.1 Research Approach and Design

Authors should clearly describe the research approach and design used in the study. The selected approach should be appropriate for addressing the research objectives and research questions. Authors should explain the methodological rationale when the choice of approach or design requires clarification.

The description should identify whether the study uses a quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, development, evaluation, survey, experimental, correlational, descriptive, case study, classroom-based, or other appropriate research design.

9.2 Participants, Population, or Data Sources

Authors should describe the research participants, population, sample, or data sources used in the study. The description should provide sufficient information to establish the relevance and appropriateness of the selected participants or data sources.

Where applicable, authors should report relevant characteristics of the participants, population size, sample size, inclusion or exclusion criteria, and the context in which the participants or data were obtained.

9.3 Sampling or Selection Procedures

Authors should explain how participants, documents, cases, datasets, or other research sources were selected.

The explanation should identify the sampling or selection technique, the rationale for its use, and the procedures followed to obtain the final sample or data source. For quantitative studies, authors should provide relevant information about the sampling procedure and sample size. For qualitative studies, authors should explain the selection of participants, cases, documents, or other sources and the rationale for determining the adequacy of the data.

9.4 Research Instruments or Materials

Authors should describe the research instruments, measurement tools, materials, documents, or other sources used to collect the data.

The description should explain the purpose and function of each instrument or material and, where relevant, provide information about its development, indicators, validity, reliability, testing, or other procedures used to establish its appropriateness.

9.5 Data Collection Procedures

Authors should explain the data collection procedures systematically and in sufficient detail for readers to understand how the data were obtained.

The description should include relevant information concerning the research setting, data collection stages, duration or period of data collection where appropriate, instruments or techniques used, and procedures followed to ensure the quality and credibility of the collected data.

9.6 Data Analysis

Authors should clearly explain the data analysis techniques used to answer the research questions or achieve the research objectives.

For quantitative studies, authors should report relevant variables, measurement procedures, statistical techniques, and statistical assumptions where applicable. The statistical procedures should be appropriate to the research design and type of data.

For qualitative studies, authors should describe relevant analytical procedures, such as coding, categorization, interpretation, thematic analysis, triangulation, member checking, or other strategies used to establish the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings.

For mixed-methods studies, authors should explain how the quantitative and qualitative components are connected, analyzed, and integrated. The integration procedure should be sufficiently clear to demonstrate how the two components contribute to answering the research questions and producing the study's conclusions.

9.7 Ethical Considerations

If the study involves human participants, authors should describe the relevant ethical procedures followed during the research. Where applicable, the Methods section should state how informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, participant rights, data protection, and ethical approval were addressed.

If ethical approval was obtained, authors should provide the relevant information regarding the approving institution or ethics committee and approval reference number where appropriate.

9.8 Methodological Rigor and Transparency

The Methods section should provide sufficient methodological detail to support a transparent assessment of the evidence presented in the Results. Authors should explain important methodological decisions when necessary and avoid omitting procedures that could affect the interpretation, credibility, or reproducibility of the findings.

The methodology should be presented in a logical sequence that enables readers to understand what was done, why it was done, how it was done, and how the resulting data were analyzed.

Method Formatting

The Methods section should follow these formatting requirements:

  • Heading: Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, left aligned.
  • Body text: Times New Roman, 11 pt.
  • Text alignment: Justified.
  • Line spacing: Single spacing.
  • Paragraph indentation: The first paragraph should have no first-line indentation. Subsequent paragraphs should use a first-line indentation of approximately 1 cm.
  • Paragraph spacing: No additional space should be inserted between paragraphs.
  • Length: Approximately 10–15% of the total manuscript word count.

The Methods section should contain enough methodological detail to allow readers to evaluate the rigor, appropriateness, credibility, and transparency of the research and, where applicable, reproduce its procedures. Authors should avoid both insufficient methodological information and unnecessary procedural details that do not contribute to the evaluation of the research.

Logical Structure of the Methods

The Methods section should demonstrate a clear methodological flow:

Research Approach and Design → Participants/Population/Data Sources → Sampling/Selection → Instruments/Materials → Data Collection → Data Analysis → Ethical Considerations → Methodological Rigor

10. III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The Results and Discussion section should present, analyze, interpret, and contextualize the main findings of the study. The section should clearly demonstrate how the findings respond to the research objectives, questions, or hypotheses and how they contribute to the existing body of knowledge. Authors should distinguish the presentation of empirical evidence from its broader interpretation while maintaining a clear connection between the Results and the Discussion.

The Results and Discussion section should contain the following elements.

10.1 Results

The Results section should present the main findings clearly, systematically, and directly in relation to the research objectives, questions, or hypotheses. Authors should organize the findings according to the logical sequence of the study and distinguish the presentation of evidence from its broader interpretation.

Authors should report the most relevant quantitative, qualitative, documentary, or other empirical evidence needed to support the study's claims. The Results should focus on what was found rather than providing an extensive explanation of why the findings occurred.

Tables, figures, charts, diagrams, and other visual materials should be used selectively when they improve clarity or provide substantive evidence. Each visual element must be appropriately numbered, given an informative title or caption, referred to in the main text, and accompanied by a source or note where necessary. Authors should avoid presenting the same information repeatedly in both the narrative and tables or figures.

The Results section should answer the question of what was found, while extensive explanation of why the findings occurred, comparison with previous studies, theoretical interpretation, and broader implications should be developed in the Discussion.

10.2 Discussion

The Discussion should provide the article's critical analytical core and should not simply repeat the Results. Authors should explain the meaning and significance of the main findings and relate them to the theories, concepts, and state of the art established in the earlier sections.

The Discussion should critically compare the findings with relevant previous research and explain whether the findings support, extend, refine, challenge, or contradict existing knowledge. Where differences occur, authors should discuss plausible explanations grounded in the evidence, theory, context, methodology, or relevant mechanisms rather than relying on unsupported speculation.

Authors should move beyond source-by-source comparison by synthesizing the findings and relevant literature into a broader scholarly argument. The Discussion should explicitly demonstrate how the findings address the research gap and substantiate the claimed novelty.

The Discussion should also identify the study's theoretical contribution, practical implications, policy implications, and relevance to civic education, civic learning, citizenship, democratic participation, character education, Pancasila education, or other areas within the scope of JOCER, where appropriate.

A strong Discussion should demonstrate not only what the study found, but also why the findings matter, what they add to existing knowledge, and what new understanding can reasonably be derived from them.

10.3 Tables, Figures, Graphs, Diagrams, and Equations

All tables, figures, charts, graphs, diagrams, models, conceptual frameworks, and equations used in the Results and Discussion section must be presented as an integrated part of the findings and accompanied by appropriate analytical explanation.

Each visual or mathematical element must be:

  • Numbered consecutively;
  • Given an informative title or caption;
  • Referred to in the main text;
  • Interpreted in relation to the research findings; and
  • Accurate, readable, consistent, and suitable for the final PDF.

Authors should not include a table, figure, diagram, or equation merely for decoration or repetition. Each element should add meaningful information, clarify a pattern or relationship, demonstrate evidence, or strengthen the interpretation of the findings.

All visual and mathematical elements should be placed close to the relevant discussion whenever possible.

10.4 Tables

Tables should be used when data or information can be communicated more clearly through rows and columns. Authors should number tables consecutively and place a concise but informative title above each table.

Tables should use clear column headings, consistent measurement units, and an appropriate number of decimal places. Abbreviations, statistical symbols, p-values, or other special information should be explained in a note below the table when necessary.

If a table is adapted or reproduced from another source, authors must provide the appropriate source information and obtain permission where required. Every table must be mentioned and interpreted in the main text.

Authors should avoid tables that simply duplicate information already presented in the narrative.

Example:

Table 1. Example of Research Findings

Indicator Group A Group B p-value
Civic literacy 78.4 82.1 0.032
Civic participation 74.2 80.5 0.018

Note. Values are illustrative only. Define abbreviations, statistical symbols, statistical tests, and sources below the table when necessary.

10.5 Figures, Charts, and Graphs

Figures, charts, graphs, photographs, maps, and other visual materials should be included only when they help readers understand the findings.

Authors should number figures consecutively and place an informative caption below each figure. Graphs should have clear axis labels, units, legends, and scales. Authors should avoid unnecessary decorative effects, misleading three-dimensional effects, excessive visual elements, and other features that may interfere with interpretation.

The image resolution must be sufficient to ensure clear reading in the final PDF. Every figure must be cited and interpreted in the main text.

Example:

[Insert Figure/Chart/Graph Here]

Figure 1. Example of an informative figure caption placed below the figure.

10.6 Diagrams, Models, and Conceptual Frameworks

Diagrams, models, flowcharts, and conceptual frameworks should clearly represent relationships among concepts, variables, stages, or processes.

Authors should use consistent terminology, simple and meaningful shapes, clear arrows, and readable labels. A diagram should provide conceptual or procedural value and should not merely repeat information already explained in a paragraph.

Diagrams should be numbered as figures and should have the caption placed below the visual. Authors should explain the meaning and relationships represented in the diagram in the main text.

Example:

[Concept A] → [Process/Relationship] → [Outcome/Concept B]

Figure 2. Example of a conceptual framework. Explain the relationships represented in the diagram in the text.

10.7 Equations and Formulas

Mathematical equations or statistical formulas should be included only when necessary to explain the analytical procedure or support the interpretation of the findings.

Equations must be provided in an editable equation format rather than inserted as screenshots or images. Equations should be numbered consecutively when they are referred to elsewhere in the manuscript.

Authors must define all symbols and variables immediately after the equation or in the accompanying text. Statistical reporting should provide relevant information, such as the statistical test, coefficient, effect size, confidence interval, or significance level, as appropriate to the research design.

Example:

Y = β₀ + β₁X₁ + β₂X₂ + ε

Where Y = dependent variable; X₁ and X₂ = predictor variables; β₀ = intercept; β₁ and β₂ = coefficients; ε = error term.

10.8 Visual Quality and File Preparation

All tables, figures, charts, graphs, diagrams, and equations must have good visual quality and must be accurate, consistent, and readable.

Authors should avoid:

      • Low-resolution images;
      • Screenshots of tables or graphs;
      • Unnecessary decorative elements;
      • Misleading three-dimensional effects;
      • Excessive colors or visual elements;
      • Inconsistent fonts or labels; and
      • Layouts that cause text, numbers, or other information to be cut off.

Each visual element should be placed close to the relevant discussion, use consistent numbering and captions, and contain sufficient information to be understood in relation to the main text.

Authors must also ensure that visual materials do not infringe copyright and that appropriate permission has been obtained when required.

10.9 Analytical Interpretation of Findings

The Results should provide the empirical evidence, while the Discussion should provide the critical interpretation and scholarly meaning of those findings.

Authors should explain how the findings relate to the research objectives, research questions, hypotheses, theoretical framework, and previous research. The interpretation should be based on the evidence presented in the study and should avoid conclusions that go beyond what the data can reasonably support.

The Discussion should demonstrate a logical relationship between:

Findings → Interpretation → Comparison with Previous Research → Theoretical Meaning → Research Gap → Novelty → Contribution/Implication

10.10 Contribution and Implications

Authors should explain the contribution of the findings to the relevant field of study. Where appropriate, the discussion may address:

      • Theoretical contributions;
      • Contributions to civic education;
      • Contributions to teaching and learning;
      • Contributions to civic literacy or citizenship;
      • Contributions to democratic participation;
      • Practical implications for educators or institutions;
      • Policy implications; and
      • Implications for future research.

The implications should be directly supported by the findings and should not be based on unsupported assumptions.

10.11 Limitations

Where appropriate, authors should acknowledge important limitations of the study that may influence the interpretation or generalizability of the findings.

Limitations may relate to the research design, participants, sample size, research context, instruments, data sources, methodological constraints, or other relevant factors.

Authors should explain the implications of these limitations and, where appropriate, indicate how future studies could address them.

Results and Discussion Formatting

The Results and Discussion section should follow these formatting requirements:

      • Main heading: Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, left aligned.
      • Subheading: Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, left aligned, where subheadings are necessary.
      • Body text: Times New Roman, 11 pt.
      • Text alignment: Justified.
      • Line spacing: Single spacing.
      • Paragraph indentation: The first paragraph should have no first-line indentation. Subsequent paragraphs should use a first-line indentation of approximately 1 cm.
      • Paragraph spacing: No additional space should be inserted between paragraphs.
      • Visual elements: Tables, figures, charts, diagrams, and equations must follow the formatting requirements described above.
      • Length: The Results and Discussion section should generally constitute approximately 30–40% of the total manuscript word count, depending on the research design and nature of the study.

The Results and Discussion should demonstrate a clear analytical progression:

Research Findings → Evidence → Interpretation → Comparison with Previous Research → Critical Analysis → Research Gap → Novelty → Contribution and Implications

Authors should avoid merely repeating the Results, presenting literature without analysis, making unsupported claims, or introducing conclusions that are not supported by the evidence.

11.IV. CONCLUSION

The Conclusion should directly answer the research objective or research questions and synthesize the principal contribution of the study. It should clearly state what can be concluded from the findings without introducing new data, arguments, references, or information that has not been discussed in the manuscript.

The Conclusion should not merely repeat the Results or summarize the findings paragraph by paragraph. Instead, it should provide a concise synthesis of the main findings and emphasize their meaning and contribution to the field of civic education, citizenship studies, civic learning, democracy, Pancasila education, civic literacy, digital citizenship, character education, civic engagement, or other relevant areas within the scope of JOCER.

Where appropriate, the Conclusion should explain the implications of the findings for theory, educational practice, policy, civic learning, or citizenship development. The implications should be directly supported by the findings and should not extend beyond what the study can reasonably demonstrate.

The Conclusion may also briefly identify the most important limitation of the study and provide a focused direction for future research. Such limitations and recommendations should be directly related to the research findings and should not introduce issues that were not addressed in the study.

The Conclusion should demonstrate clear consistency between the research problem, research gap, research objective, findings, discussion, novelty, and contribution presented throughout the manuscript.

Authors should ensure that the Conclusion:

  • Directly answers the research objective or research questions;
  • Synthesizes the principal findings rather than repeating the Results;
  • Clearly states the main contribution of the study;
  • Demonstrates how the findings address the identified research gap;
  • Reinforces the claimed novelty or contribution where appropriate;
  • Provides relevant theoretical, practical, educational, or policy implications;
  • Does not introduce new data, arguments, or references;
  • Avoids unsupported generalizations or claims;
  • May briefly identify important limitations; and
  • May provide focused recommendations or directions for future research.

The Conclusion should be concise, analytical, and directly supported by the evidence presented in the article. Authors should avoid introducing extensive literature discussion, repeating tables or figures, or presenting information that belongs in the Results and Discussion section.

Conclusion Formatting

The Conclusion should follow these formatting requirements:

  • Heading: 11-point Times New Roman, bold, left aligned.
  • Body text: 11-point Times New Roman.
  • Text alignment: Justified.
  • Line spacing: Single spacing.
  • Paragraph spacing: No additional space between paragraphs.
  • First-line indentation: Approximately 1 cm for subsequent paragraphs.
  • Length: Approximately 5–10% of the total manuscript word count.
  • The Conclusion should normally be presented in one or two concise paragraphs, depending on the complexity of the study.

Important: Authors should not include a separate subsection entitled Novelty, Implications, Limitations, or Future Research within the Conclusion unless specifically necessary. These elements should be integrated naturally into the Conclusion.

Example of Conclusion Structure

A well-developed Conclusion may follow this logical sequence:

Main finding → Research contribution → Research gap/novelty → Implication → Limitation/future direction

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

The Author Contributions section should clearly describe the specific contributions of each author to the research and preparation of the manuscript.

Each author should be identified by their initials or full name, followed by the specific contribution(s) made. The contribution statement should accurately reflect the actual work performed by each author.

Authors may describe contributions in areas such as:

  • Conceptualization;
  • Research design;
  • Methodology;
  • Investigation;
  • Data collection;
  • Data curation;
  • Formal analysis;
  • Statistical analysis;
  • Interpretation of findings;
  • Writing – original draft;
  • Writing – review and editing;
  • Supervision;
  • Project administration; and
  • Other substantial contributions relevant to the study.

All listed authors should have made a substantial contribution to the research and should have participated in reviewing and approving the final manuscript.

Recommended format:

Author 1: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Formal Analysis, Writing – Original Draft.

Author 2: Methodology, Investigation, Formal Analysis, Writing – Review & Editing.

Author 3: Conceptualization, Writing – Review & Editing, Supervision.

Author 4: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – Review & Editing.

Authors should not be assigned contributions that they did not substantially perform. The contribution statement should be consistent with the authorship information provided in the manuscript and in the OJS submission system.

Formatting: Times New Roman, 11 pt, single spacing, approximately 50–150 words.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Authors should disclose any financial, professional, institutional, personal, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, interpretation of findings, or publication of the manuscript.

If no conflict of interest exists, authors should provide a clear statement such as:

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to the research, authorship, or publication of this article.

If a conflict exists, authors should describe it clearly and transparently.

Formatting: Times New Roman, 11 pt, single spacing.

FUNDING

Authors should disclose all financial support received for conducting the research and preparing the manuscript.

The funding statement should identify the funding institution, grant or project number where applicable, and the role of the funder in the research.

Example:

This research was supported by [Name of Funding Institution] under Grant Number [XXXX]. The funder had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation of findings, or preparation of the manuscript.

If no external funding was received:

This research received no specific external funding.

Formatting: Times New Roman, 11 pt, single spacing.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, professional, institutional, or other relationships or interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, analysis, interpretation, or publication of the manuscript.

The Conflict of Interest statement should be transparent and should disclose any relationship or circumstance that may create an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest. Authors should consider conflicts involving financial support, employment, consultancy, institutional relationships, personal relationships, intellectual property, or other interests that may affect the research or publication process.

If no conflict of interest exists, authors should use the following statement:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Alternatively, authors may use the following statement:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that there are no financial, personal, institutional, or professional relationships that could have influenced the conduct, analysis, interpretation, or reporting of this research.

If a conflict exists, authors should clearly disclose its nature, the parties involved, and its potential influence on the research, analysis, interpretation, or publication process.

Example:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that [describe the nature of the conflict and the parties involved]. The authors confirm that this relationship did not influence the research design, data analysis, interpretation of the findings, or decision to publish the manuscript.

Authors should ensure that the Conflict of Interest statement is complete, accurate, and consistent with the information provided in the Funding, Author Contributions, and Acknowledgments sections.

The Conflict of Interest statement should be included in the manuscript even when the authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Formatting: Times New Roman, 11 pt, single spacing, approximately 20–75 words.

AI USE STATEMENT

Authors must disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) or other AI-assisted tools in preparing the manuscript when applicable.

The statement should identify the AI tool used, the purpose of its use, and the stage of manuscript preparation in which the tool was used. Examples may include language improvement, grammar and spelling correction, translation, organization of text, or other editorial assistance.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, citations, interpretation, and final content of the manuscript. The use of AI-assisted tools does not transfer responsibility for any part of the manuscript to the AI system.

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors, because authorship requires responsibility and accountability for the scholarly content of the manuscript.

The use of AI should not replace the authors' own scholarly analysis, critical reasoning, interpretation of research findings, or responsibility for the originality and integrity of the work.

Example – When AI Was Used

AI Use Statement: The authors used [name of AI tool] for [e.g., language editing, grammar checking, translation, or improving the clarity of the manuscript]. The authors independently reviewed and verified all AI-assisted content and remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, citations, and final content of the manuscript.

Example – When AI Was Used for Language Editing Only

AI Use Statement: The authors used an AI-assisted language editing tool to improve grammar, spelling, and English language clarity. All substantive arguments, interpretations, analyses, citations, and conclusions were developed and verified by the authors. The authors remain fully responsible for the final content of the manuscript.

Example – When No Generative AI Was Used

AI Use Statement: The authors declare that no generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools were used in the preparation, writing, analysis, or revision of this manuscript.

Authors should ensure that the AI Use Statement accurately reflects the actual use of AI-assisted tools during manuscript preparation. Authors should not claim that AI was not used when AI-assisted tools were substantially involved in preparing the manuscript.

Formatting: Times New Roman, 11 pt, single spacing, approximately 50–150 words.

REFERENCES

REFERENCES

Authors are required to cite a minimum of 20 scholarly references in each manuscript. At least 80% of the references should be published within the last five years, calculated relative to the year of manuscript submission.

Authors should prioritize peer-reviewed journal articles and use recent, relevant, and reputable scholarly publications related to the scope of JOCER, including civic education, citizenship studies, democracy, Pancasila education, civic literacy, digital citizenship, global citizenship, civic engagement, character education, citizenship education, democratic participation, political literacy, social responsibility, and related fields.

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reputable and verifiable scholarly sources. References should demonstrate the current development of knowledge in the field and should be used to support the theoretical framework, research gap, novelty, analysis, and interpretation of the study.

Every reference with an assigned DOI must include a complete and active DOI link in the following format:

https://doi.org/xxxxx

Authors must ensure that all DOI links are accurate and functional before manuscript submission.

All references cited in the manuscript must appear in the reference list, and every reference listed in the reference list must be cited in the manuscript. Authors should carefully check the consistency between in-text citations and the reference list.

The reference list must follow American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition consistently.

Authors are encouraged to use reference-management software such as Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, or other compatible reference-management applications to minimize citation and formatting errors.

Reference List Formatting

The reference list should follow these requirements:

  • Use APA 7th Edition.
  • Arrange references in alphabetical order according to the surname of the first author.
  • Use Times New Roman, 11 pt.
  • Use single spacing.
  • Apply a 1 cm hanging indent to each reference.
  • Do not use numbering or bullet points.
  • Use the DOI in URL format when available.
  • Do not write “DOI:” before the DOI URL.
  • Ensure that every DOI link is complete and active.
  • Use consistent capitalization and punctuation according to APA 7th Edition.
  • Verify that author names, publication year, article title, journal title, volume, issue, page range/article number, publisher, and DOI are accurate.

Journal Article Reference Format

Journal articles should include the author's surname and initials, publication year, article title, journal title, volume, issue where applicable, page range or article number, and DOI when available.

Example – Single-Author Article

Stitzlein, S. M. (2024). Populist challenges to truth and democracy met with pragmatist alternatives in citizenship education. Educational Theory, 74(5), 595–618. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.12614

Example – Two-Author Article

Matthieu, J., & Junius, N. (2024). Educationally tracked democratic equalizers: How citizenship education moderates the effect of a political home environment on internal political efficacy across educational tracks. Political Behavior, 46, 2541–2563. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-024-09930-0

Example – Three or More Authors

Finkel, S. E., Neundorf, A., & Rascón Ramírez, E. (2024). Can online civic education induce democratic citizenship? Experimental evidence from a new democracy. American Journal of Political Science, 68(2), 613–630. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12765

Important: In APA 7th Edition, in-text citations for works with three or more authors use the first author's surname followed by et al. from the first citation.

Book Reference Format

Book references should include the author(s), publication year, title of the book in italics, and publisher.

Example – Single-Author Book

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. Macmillan.

Example – Two-Author Book

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An educational psychology success story: Social interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational Researcher.

Example – Three or More Authors

Banks, J. A., Banks, C. A. M., & McGee Banks, J. A. (2019). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives. Wiley.

Authors should ensure that the reference type is correctly identified as a book and that the publisher information is accurate.

Book Chapter Reference Format

Book chapter references should include the chapter author(s), publication year, chapter title, editor(s), book title in italics, page range, and publisher. Include a DOI in URL format when one has been assigned.

Example – Book Chapter with One Author

Print, M. (2015). Citizenship education and youth participation. In I. Davies, S. Gorard, & N. McGuinn (Eds.), Citizenship education (pp. 45–60). Routledge.

Example – Book Chapter with Two Authors

Kahne, J., & Bowyer, B. (2018). The political significance of social media activities and networks. In K. K. Ladson-Billings (Ed.), Civic engagement and digital citizenship (pp. 75–92). Routledge.

Example – Book Chapter with Three Authors

Davies, I., Gorard, S., & McGuinn, N. (2015). Citizenship education and democratic participation. In J. Arthur (Ed.), Education and citizenship (pp. 101–118). Routledge.

Example – Book Chapter with a DOI

Author, A. A. (2024). Civic identity and democratic learning. In B. B. Editor (Ed.), Contemporary perspectives on citizenship education (pp. 25–42). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx

Authors should verify whether a book chapter has an assigned DOI before submission. If a DOI exists, it should be included as an active DOI URL.

Thesis and Dissertation Reference Format

Theses and dissertations should include the author's name, publication year, title of the thesis or dissertation in italics, the type of academic work and institution, repository or database where applicable, and the URL when the work is publicly accessible.

Example – Master's Thesis

Smith, J. A. (2024). The role of civic education in developing students’ democratic participation [Master’s thesis, University of Melbourne]. Melbourne Research Repository. https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/

Example – Doctoral Dissertation

Johnson, R. T. (2024). Digital citizenship education and civic engagement among university students [Doctoral dissertation, University of Sydney]. Sydney eScholarship Repository. https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/

Authors should provide a stable repository or database URL when the thesis or dissertation is available online.

Magazine Article Reference Format

Magazine articles should include the author's name, complete publication date, article title, magazine title in italics, volume and issue information where applicable, page range for print articles, and URL for online articles.

Example – Print Magazine Article

McKibben, B. (2024, May 20). The climate movement enters a new phase. The New Yorker, 100(12), 24–29.

Example – Online Magazine Article

Lazarus, R. J. (2023, September 15). The future of environmental law. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/

Authors should provide the specific article URL, rather than the general homepage, when citing an online magazine article.

In-Text Citation and Reference List Consistency

Authors must ensure complete consistency between in-text citations and the reference list.

Examples of APA 7th Edition in-text citations include:

One author:

(Stitzlein, 2024)

Two authors:

(Matthieu & Junius, 2024)

Three or more authors:

(Finkel et al., 2024)

For a narrative citation:

Stitzlein (2024) argues that citizenship education has an important role in responding to contemporary democratic challenges.

For two authors:

Matthieu and Junius (2024) demonstrate that citizenship education can influence political efficacy.

For three or more authors:

Finkel et al. (2024) examine the potential of online civic education to promote democratic citizenship.

Authors should avoid citing sources in the manuscript that do not appear in the reference list and should not include uncited references merely to increase the number of references.

Reference Quality and Relevance

The reference list should demonstrate the scholarly foundation and current state of knowledge relevant to the manuscript.

Authors should prioritize references that:

  • Directly relate to the research topic;
  • Support the theoretical framework;
  • Establish the research context;
  • Demonstrate the current state of research;
  • Help identify the research gap;
  • Support the interpretation of findings;
  • Strengthen the discussion of novelty and contribution; and
  • Are published in reputable scholarly journals, books, or academic sources.

Authors should avoid excessive reliance on:

  • Unverified websites;
  • Non-scholarly blogs;
  • Commercial websites;
  • Wikipedia;
  • Unpublished sources without clear academic relevance;
  • Predatory journals; and
  • Outdated references when more recent scholarly sources are available.

A minimum of 20 scholarly references is required, with at least 80% preferably published within the last five years relative to the year of submission.

Formatting: Times New Roman, 11 pt, single spacing, APA 7th Edition, alphabetical order, 1 cm hanging indent, with DOI presented in complete and active URL format when available.

Journal of Civic Education Research (JOCER)
Manuscript Template and Author Guidelines